Method of controlling indoor temperature

ABSTRACT

A method of controlling a temperature in a room includes the following steps: 1) Sense a volume of sound in the room to obtain a sensed volume; and 2) Control an output of an air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than a volume value; or control an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a second temperature while the sensed volume is lower than the volume value and lasts for a first waiting time. A power consumption of the air conditioning unit to keep the temperature in the second temperature is lower than a power consumption of the air conditioning unit to keep the temperature in the first temperature to reduce the unnecessary power consumption when there is nobody in the room.

The current application claims a foreign priority to the patent application of Taiwan No. 102108334 filed on Mar. 8, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to temperature of air conditioner, and more particularly to a method of controlling a temperature in a room according sound volume in the room.

2. Description of Related Art

Air conditioners are widely used in air conditioning. Modern air conditioners may provide hot air and cooled air so that no matter what season it is, the air conditioner may provide a desired indoor temperature. A conventional air conditioner provides user to input a setting temperature, and the air conditioner provides cooled air or hot air to change the temperature in the room to the setting temperature. FIG. 1 shows a relation between the temperature in a room, which is conditioned by the conventional air conditioner, and time. The temperature is kept in constant all time. FIG. 2 shows that the temperature in the room is conditioned by another type of the air conditioner. The temperature is changed in different periods of a day. For example, the temperature is higher in the nighttime than in the daytime. User may input the desired temperatures for different periods. However, these two conventional air conditioners are running according to the setting only. Sometime, it will waste the energy because the conditions in the room changed, such as people leaving the room, but the sir condition still is running according to the old setting.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method controlling a temperature in a room, which may reduce the unnecessary power consumption.

The present invention provides a method of controlling a temperature in a room, wherein an air conditioning unit is provided to change a temperature in the room, and the method includes the following steps:

Sense a volume of sound in the room to obtain a sensed volume; and

Control an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than a volume value; or

Control an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a second temperature while the sensed volume is lower than the volume value and lasts for a first waiting time.

A power consumption of the air conditioning unit to keep the temperature in the second temperature is lower than a power consumption of the air conditioning unit to keep the temperature in the first temperature.

With the method of the present invention, it may reduce the unnecessary power consumption when there is nobody in the room.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a relation of the temperature and time of the conventional air conditioner;

FIG. 2 shows a relation between the temperature and time of another type of the conventional air conditioner;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the air conditioner of a preferred embodiment of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the method in the cooling mode of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a relation of the temperature and time, showing the temperature change in the constant-temperature type of the cooling mode of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a relation of the temperature and time/volume, showing in the temperature change in the variant-temperature type of the cooling mode of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the method in the heating mode of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a relation of the temperature and time, showing the temperature change in the constant-temperature type of the heating mode of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 shows a relation of the temperature and time/volume, showing in the temperature change in the variant-temperature type of the heating mode of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method of controlling a temperature of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. An air conditioning system is provided to change the temperature, which includes a setting unit 10 and an air conditioning unit. The air conditioning unit includes a cooling module 20 and a heating module 30.

The setting unit 10 includes an electric control module 12, an audio sensor 14, and a control panel 16. The audio sensor 14 and the control panel 16 are electrically connected to the electric control module 12 respectively. The audio sensor 14 is a microphone in the present invention to sense a volume of sound in a room and to obtain a sensed volume. A user may operate the control panel 16 to input some settings, including selecting a cooling mode or a heating mode, and inputting a first temperature T1 and a volume value dB, for controlling the air conditioning system (referring to FIG. 5). In the cooling mode, the cooling module 20 is activated to lower the temperature, and the heating module 30 is activated in the heating mode to raise the temperature. The electric control module 12 respectively controls the cooling module 20 and the heating module 30 to provide hot air or cooled air. The first temperature T1 is a desired temperature in the room, and is the temperature that the air conditioning unit should give. The volume value dB is given by user, which is the critical value to determine if there is anyone in the room. If a volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is higher than the volume value dB, it indicates that there is at least one man in the room. On the contrary, it indicates nobody in the room when a volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is lower than the volume value dB. It should be aware of the background volume in the adjustment of the volume value dB.

FIG. 4 shows the flowchart of the temperature controlling method when the air conditioning unit is switched to the cooling mode. The temperature controlling method includes the following steps:

In the beginning, the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to provide cooled air to lower a temperature in a room to the first temperature T1, and keeps the temperature in the first temperature T1.

The electric control module 12 controls the audio sensor 14 to sense a volume of sound in the room and to obtain a sensed volume, and then the sensed volume is compared with the volume value dB.

The electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to keep the temperature in the room in the first temperature T1 while the sensed volume is higher than the volume value dB.

While the sensed volume is lower than the volume value dB for a first waiting time, it indicates that there is nobody in the room or people in the room are kept still. In this situation, the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to raise the temperature in the room to a second temperature T2. It may reduce the power consumption of the cooling module 20. The change of the cooling module 20 will be activated only when the volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is lower than the volume value dB for the first waiting time. The reason of it is to avoid the cooling module 20 from being changed repeatedly while people only leave the room temporally.

After the temperature in the room is changed to the second temperature T2 and the sensed volume still is lower than the volume value dB for a second waiting time t2, the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to raise the temperature in the room to a third temperature T3. In an embodiment, the temperature is rising from the second temperature T2 to the third temperature T3 in tiers. In other words, the temperature in the room is raised for predetermined degrees per a third waiting time t3. If the sensed volume is higher than the volume value dB, which means somebody comes back, the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to lower the temperature in the room back to the first temperature T1.

FIG. 5 shows that the first temperature T is set to a constant temperature (23° C.). In the first 20 minutes of FIG. 5, a volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is greater than the volume value dB, and the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to keep the temperature in the room in 23° C. (the first temperature T1). Next, the sensed volume still is lower than the volume value dB and lasts for ten minutes (the first waiting time t1), the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to raise the temperature in the room to 24° C. (the second temperature T2). After the first waiting time t1, the sensed volume is kept in a low value (lower than the volume value dB) and last for another ten minutes (the second waiting time t2), the electric control module 12 starts to control the cooling module 20 to raise the temperature in the room to the third temperature T3 (28° C.). The temperature in the room is raised from 24° C. (the second temperature T2) to 28° C. (the third temperature T3) by 1° C. per ten minutes (the third waiting time t3). Next, somebody is coming in the room, the sensed volume is higher than the volume value dB and the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to lower the temperature in the room back to 23° C. (the first temperature T1). After that, the temperature will be conditioned by the air conditioning system of the present invention in the same way.

FIG. 6 shows that the first temperature T is set to different temperatures in different periods of a day. In the first ten minutes of FIG. 6, a volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is higher than the volume value dB, the temperature in the room is conditioned to 23° C. (the first temperature T1). In ten minutes to twenty minutes, the sensed volume still is higher than the volume value dB, but temperature in the room is conditioned to 21° C. (the first temperature T1) because it comes to another period of the day. In the twentieth minutes, the sensed volume is lower than the volume value dB and lasts for ten minutes (the first waiting time t1), the electric control module 12 controls the cooling module 20 to raise the temperature in the room to 22° C. (the second temperature T2). Next, the sensed volume is kept in a low value for another ten minutes (the second waiting time t2), the cooling module 20 starts to raise the temperature in the room from 22° C. (the second temperature T2) to 26° C. (the third temperature T3). It is clearly shown that the temperature is raised for 1° C. per ten minutes (the third waiting time t3). The temperature will be conditioned to the first temperature while the sensed temperature is higher than the volume value dB. In practice, a limited temperature TU is set in the air conditioning system of the present invention. The temperature conditioned by the air conditioning system does not exceed the limited temperature TU. As shown in 150 minutes to 210 minutes of FIG. 6, the first temperature T1 is 27° C. and the limited temperature TU is set to 28° C. If the sensed volume is kept in a low value for a long time, the temperature in the room should be conditioned to the second or the third temperature T2, T3, which is/are higher than the limited temperature TU. However, the highest temperature will be limited in 28° C. (the limited temperature TU).

In the cooling mode, the air conditioning system of the present invention may change the output of the cooling module 20 according to a volume in the room. When the volume in the room is low, which indicates nobody in the room, the output of the cooling module 20 is reduced to reduce the power consumption, and when the volume in the room is high, the cooling module 20 is switched to the normal output.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of controlling the air conditioning system of the present invention in the heating mode. The procedures in the heating mode is similar to that in the cooling mode, except that the reduction of the output of the heating module 30 will lower the temperature in the room, which means that the first temperature T1 is higher than the second temperature T2, and the second temperature T2 is higher than the third temperature T3.

FIG. 8 shows that the first temperature T is set to a constant temperature (23° C.). In the first 20 minutes, a volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is higher than the volume value dB, and the electric control module 12 controls the heating module 30 to keep the temperature in the room in 23° C. (the first temperature T1). Next, the sensed volume is lower than the volume value dB and lasts for ten minutes (the first waiting time t1), the electric control module 12 controls the heating module 30 to lower the temperature in the room to 22° C. (the second temperature T2). The volume in the room is kept in a low value for another ten minutes (the second waiting time t2), the electric control module 12 starts to control the heating module 30 to lower the temperature in the room to the third temperature T3 (18° C.). The temperature in the room is lowered from 22° C. (the second temperature T2) to 18° C. (the third temperature T3) by 1° C. per ten minutes (the third waiting time t3). In the 100th minute, somebody is coming in the room, so that the sensed is higher than the volume value dB, and the electric control module 12 controls the heating module 30 to raise the temperature in the room back to 23° C. (the first temperature T1). After that, the temperature will be conditioned by the air conditioning system of the present invention in the same way.

FIG. 9 shows that the first temperature T is set to different temperatures in different periods of a day. In the first ten minutes of FIG. 9, a volume sensed by the audio sensor 14 is higher than the volume value dB, the temperature in the room is conditioned to 23° C. (the first temperature T1). In ten minutes to twenty minutes, the sensed volume still is higher than the volume value dB, but temperature in the room is conditioned to 25° C. (the first temperature T1) because it comes to another period of the day. In the twentieth minutes, the sensed volume is lower than the volume value dB and lasts for ten minutes (the first waiting time t1), the electric control module 12 controls the heating module 30 to lower the temperature in the room to 24° C. (the second temperature T2). Next, the sensed volume is kept in a low value for another ten minutes (the second waiting time t2), the heating module 30 starts to lower the temperature in the room from 24° C. (the second temperature T2) to 20° C. (the third temperature T3). It is clearly shown that the temperature is lowered for 1° C. per ten minutes (the third waiting time t3). The temperature will be conditioned to the first temperature while the sensed temperature is higher than the volume value dB. In practice, a limited temperature TD is set in the air conditioning system of the present invention. The temperature conditioned by the air conditioning system does not exceed the limited temperature TD. As shown in 170 minutes to 220 minutes of FIG. 9, the first temperature T1 is 19° C. and the limited temperature TD is set to 18° C. If the sensed volume is kept in low value for a long time, the temperature in the room should be conditioned to the second or the third temperature T2, T3, which is/are lower than the limited temperature TU. However, the lowest temperature will be limited in 18° C. (the limited temperature TD).

In the heating mode, the air conditioning system of the present invention may change the output of the heating module 30 according to a volume in the room. When the volume in the room is low, which indicates nobody in the room, the output of the heating module 30 is reduced to reduce the power consumption, and when the volume in the room is high, the heating module 30 is switched to the normal output.

In conclusion, the air conditioning system of the present invention may change the output of the cooling module 20 and the heating module 30 according to the volume in the room to reduce the unnecessary power consumption.

It must be pointed out that the embodiments described above are only some preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent methods which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling a temperature in a room, wherein an air conditioning unit is provided to change a temperature in the room, the method comprising the steps of: sensing a volume of sound in the room to obtain a sensed volume; and controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than a volume value; or controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a second temperature while the sensed volume is lower than the volume value and lasts for a first waiting time; wherein a power consumption of the air conditioning unit to keep the temperature in the second temperature is lower than a power consumption of the air conditioning unit to keep the temperature in the first temperature.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein air conditioning unit has a cooling module to lower the temperature in the room, and the second temperature is higher than the first temperature.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a second temperature while the sensed volume is lower than the volume value and lasts for a second waiting after the first waiting time, wherein the third temperature is higher than the second temperature.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature is raised from the second temperature to the third temperature in tiers.
 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to change a temperature in the room back to the first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than the volume value.
 6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to change a temperature in the room back to the first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than the volume value.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein air conditioning unit has a heating module to raise the temperature in the room, and the second temperature is lower than the first temperature.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to keep a temperature in the room in a second temperature while the sensed volume is lower than the volume value and lasts for a second waiting after the first waiting time, wherein the third temperature is lower than the second temperature.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the temperature is lowered from the second temperature to the third temperature in tiers.
 10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to change a temperature in the room back to the first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than the volume value.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of controlling an output of the air conditioning unit to change a temperature in the room back to the first temperature while the sensed volume is higher than the volume value. 